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So I know there's gambling, smoking, food, and drink in the Imperium, as is typical of most dystopian settings.

What other forms of entertainment are there? I mean, the cartels and trading companies that sell cigs and booze must make a fortune. Like a hundred times more than the biggest mega corporations we have today in the year 2020. They'd own their own planet and have autonomy/ delegation over star systems. They'd be considered lords. No doubt there would be organizations that sold weapons, and they'll also be extremely powerful.

But what other forms of entertainment does mankind consume in the 41st millenium? Music? Movies/shows? Maybe they all go to theatre's and watch plays. Perhaps people had more industrial hobbies, such as crafting weapons or armor. Maybe something a bit more heretical, like creating robotics, and AI. Or something a bit more simple, like woodworking or repairing cars.

What are your thoughts? What do you think people of the 41st millenium do with their spare time?

There is no spare time. All efforts are put into the Imperial machine. If it does not glorify the holy god-emperor it must bring destruction to his enemies!
I think there is even a short story somewhere about a sororitas who is writing in her diary and the pen is covered in blades and spikes to cause suffering upon someone who would write anything that wasnt in direct service of the emperor.

There is definitely traditionnal circus acts, opera and concertos, ultra-violent combat sports, a lot of propaganda news and lavish religious ceremonies that are retransmitted, pageantry of all sorts and healthy sex industry. Of course little hobbies like painting miniatures, doodling, woodworking, playing cards or board games are still a thing as is just hanging out with friends.


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 DeffDred wrote:
There is no spare time. All efforts are put into the Imperial machine. If it does not glorify the holy god-emperor it must bring destruction to his enemies!
I think there is even a short story somewhere about a sororitas who is writing in her diary and the pen is covered in blades and spikes to cause suffering upon someone who would write anything that wasnt in direct service of the emperor.

I wouldnt judge the life of a random person by the habit of a brainwashed, mindwiped,abused, zealot of some warrior cult with a martyrdom fetish. That's a bit unfair.

Various are mentioned in the lore. Depends on the planet and often the class of the person.

There are religious and secular festivals and feast days etc.
Blood sports are popular on many worlds for rich and poor
Poetry is often mentioned - religious and otherwise
Attack Run is a popular Holodrama about a squadron of Lightning pilots during the Gothic War
Muscial instruements are used in the Guard, in religion and for fun
Nobles and Imperial upper class are often collectors of many legal and illegal items

The Movie Marine rules from White Dwarf #300 specifically mention movies being a thing in the Imperium.

 DeffDred wrote:
There is no spare time. All efforts are put into the Imperial machiner.

This is the case if you're working-class in a hive/machine world, where you might well work every hour of the day and spend only a scant amount of time off to eat, sleep and then procreate before returning to work in the name of the Emperor; but it is far from the "norm"

Indeed there isn't really a norm - in some worlds tehy are hardly further on from the medieval age; on others its a technological marvel. On some the population might live quite a nice life; on others a harsh and brutal one. Brutality of many worlds is often environmental, a result of the wildness of the world itself but also the effects of heavy and unregulated industry on the ecosystem. Acid rains and the like.


So with a wealth of variety there's a wealth of entertainment. From drugs and drink to spar experiences; luxury train rides; rides in the wild; fight clubs; circuses; blood sports; brothels; gambling. You name it the Imperium likely does it. Even down to illegal xenos related activities such as mind drugs and such. If you want it you can get it in the Imperium, if you can afford it.

Heck in Necromunda settings the "spire dwelling" nobles will done insane top end power armours and the like and come down to the underhive to hunt the gangers.

It's time for the Imperium's favourite game show!

HAMMER!!!

OF!!!

WRATH!!!

I guess free time in the Imperium is kinda like how it was in the middle ages: no vacations or sick days, no weekend break, but there are many religious celebrations to attend. Those usually came with big festivals.

 Tiennos wrote:
I guess free time in the Imperium is kinda like how it was in the middle ages: no vacations or sick days, no weekend break, but there are many religious celebrations to attend. Those usually came with big festivals.

Again it will vary world to world and based on your position in society and indeed the social structure of that world/region. Some places won't have vacations, others will. Some social groups will have no real mobility or rights; others will. Whilst fans often boil things down to the worst the setting has to offer, the actual reality is that with billions of worlds there is an insane amount of potential variety. I'd also note that the lore tends to focus on worlds in the war-torn regions and on production/war focused worlds more so than on the more inner core worlds where Chaos is a myth; where Marines are a legend and where war is basically unheard of. Worlds where even the Imperium Recruitment ships might be a rare sight.

I believe water polo is big in the 41st millennium

 Overread wrote:
Heck in Necromunda settings the "spire dwelling" nobles will done insane top end power armours and the like and come down to the underhive to hunt the gangers.

Ahhhh, Spyrers. There's a Necromunda gang that could use a new design and release.

As already mentioned, there's a wide variety of worlds out there with all kinds of technology levels, so not every world is high-production machinery and hive worlds... but I'd certainly say, given the usual narrative of hefty tithes and planets needing to provide for the endless churn that is the Imperium, that there are far more of these than there are "reasonable" or even "nice" planets. Remember that Macragge is touted as an incredibly rare instance of a decent standard of living.

Of course, that's the case for the general populace anyway... even the most draconian grindstone planets will have a governor, and no doubt a cadre of nobility and a number of other possibly-corrupt high-end political structures. Those people would get some form of entertainment...

No internet though. I expect the imperium does want mOST people having access to vast data and communication resources

mrFickle wrote:
No internet though. I expect the imperium does want mOST people having access to vast data and communication resources

Far as I can tell in the Eisenhorn books there is a form of internet. It's just that most people don't have clearance to access much. Content is likely segregated world by world and monitored within its own planet (to various degrees depending on the population).

 Overread wrote:

 Tiennos wrote:
I guess free time in the Imperium is kinda like how it was in the middle ages: no vacations or sick days, no weekend break, but there are many religious celebrations to attend. Those usually came with big festivals.

Again it will vary world to world and based on your position in society and indeed the social structure of that world/region. Some places won't have vacations, others will. Some social groups will have no real mobility or rights; others will. Whilst fans often boil things down to the worst the setting has to offer, the actual reality is that with billions of worlds there is an insane amount of potential variety. I'd also note that the lore tends to focus on worlds in the war-torn regions and on production/war focused worlds more so than on the more inner core worlds where Chaos is a myth; where Marines are a legend and where war is basically unheard of. Worlds where even the Imperium Recruitment ships might be a rare sight.

I think ALL Imperial worlds must give a yearly tithe of their best troops to the Imperial Guard, unless they are exempted for specific reasons (like being a Mechanicus forgeworld or something like that).

Of course, we don't know how the situation in the Imperium Nihilus is right now. I assume most planets there are in an Age of Strife sort of situation of self-reliance.

 Esmer wrote:

I think ALL Imperial worlds must give a yearly tithe of their best troops to the Imperial Guard, unless they are exempted for specific reasons (like being a Mechanicus forgeworld or something like that).

Of course, we don't know how the situation in the Imperium Nihilus is right now. I assume most planets there are in an Age of Strife sort of situation of self-reliance.

Oh yes, and when that abomination in the sky comes down (because of course the Emperor will win some how!) those planets are going to have a heck of a time paying their back taxes. You know the bean-counters will be keeping records - just because your planet is cut off from the astronomicon, beset by daemons and your population decimated does not give you an excuse to avoid paying the tithe!

But back on subject:

I would think that each planet would be different, but available entertainment for the working person would include much of the things we have today; cage fights, canid tracks; gambling of various forms; television serials; escorts of ill-repute; drugs and so on. The only difference is your access based on the relative prosperity, or tech level of the world you are on, and your individual level of prosperity.

I think that, out of isolated worlds, all planets have to submit their tithe.
For what regards entertainments, I do think they vary according each individual culture, but nonetheless they are present. Interplanetary communication is scarce and difficult, so I don't think there is any Imperium-wide holovision news or similar thing. Maybe within the upper class may be a trend in common or similar leisures.
In technologically-advanced worlds, I think there may be a sort of datasphere but heavily controlled and filled with propaganda motives. The same for other public-oriented communication or artistic show.